Corporate Fitness and Active Aging

The quick answer, we became experts because we have been specializing in this population for over 20 years in our work in senior living communities. It takes time and dedication to develop a niche as strong as what NIFS has within an industry. We have been part of the wellness evolution as fitness centers were included in renovations and master plans and communities looked to staffing and programming models to help their residents use these amenities safely. We’ve further witnessed consumer options evolve in the senior living landscape with more choices than ever before on where older adults choose to live including 55+ neighborhoods, IL communities, to lifeplan communities. Each environment has its own priorities and challenges in supporting the health and fitness needs of the residents who live there but all understand the necessity of providing vibrant lifestyles. The industry is expected to grow by $100 billion by 2027 alone which means more even more options for consumers. That’s where NIFS Wellness Companion comes into play as a solution in fitness, nutrition and wellness resources that seamlessly plug into the needs of senior living communities.

What makes NIFS niche in senior living special? It comes down to 3 areas of expertise.

1. We hire degreed professionals and provide them with rigorous training to become specialists in senior fitness. Few fitness professionals on the market possess the skillset to step into a senior living setting and provide aquatics programming, fall prevention services, balance assessments, group fitness classes and the background to prescribe customized exercise plans for someone 70+. NIFS staff report their skillset unique to older adult programming increases by 75% in their first year upon joining our team and 90% of these team members already possess a degree in exercise science. The needs of your residents and program are truly a specialization.
2. Because we have worked in senior living for over 20 years with our fitness management clients, we know the players and we know the motivations in your community. Your lifestyle director is a jack of all trades often playing a role with activities, the concierge, transportation and outings. They love making their residents happy and are stretched on time and resources. Marketing and sales know that the ability to showcase a vibrant lifestyle is essential to their ability to meet occupancy goals. Your nursing staff knows that residents who are physically active and engaged can stay independent longer while decreasing fall risks
3. We know your residents. We know that you have several different populations living within your community ranging from those in their late 60’s to 100+. We know that it takes variety in programs and the right approach to effectively engage them in what is being offered. This is truly where our specialization in creating content and programs is rooted. We understand the interests, barriers and goals of seniors and we have spent two decades flexing our creative muscles to effectively connect residents with education and programming that keeps them regularly engaged.

We have the unique perspective to combine that staff expertise, our understanding of the senior living space and our knowledge of your residents to provide a comprehensive digital content and programming platform in NIFS Wellness Companion that fills the gaps your wellness program may be missing.

As the end of 2020 approaches, there are daily reminders that life has changed. For some, these reminders are feelings of loneliness that didn’t exist just a few months ago. Older adults are at the highest level of risk for severe illness from COVID-19 and older adults are also at an increased risk of depression, as many are more isolated than ever. Now here’s the good news: there has never been a better time to be creative at home. Discovering and exercising creativity benefits people of all ages by directing time and energy into something positive, helping maintain or improve dexterity and coordination, and providing an opportunity for safe social interaction.

Much to be Gained

Even for people who don’t consider themselves creative, there is much to be gained by experimenting with creation. If boredom at home is your issue, try turning off the TV and put your hands and mind to work. It may not sound like fun at first, but nothing makes time fly like learning a new skill or adopting a new hobby. With the holidays approaching, now is the absolute best time to start hand-making presents for friends and family. Apps like Pinterest and YouTube have countless blogs and videos to provide instruction on how to complete a variety of projects and crafts.

Physical Benefits

Some creative endeavors like sculpting and building can be physically demanding. Working hard to create something can be just as good for your body as exercise, but you don’t have to break a sweat! Embroidery, drawing, painting, woodcarving, and other handcrafts are fantastic exercises in dexterity and hand-eye coordination. When parts of your body work together to create something or accomplish a goal, the connection between those systems can be maintained or even improved. The arts that mankind has been doing for millennia have stuck around because, among other reasons, they’re good for you.

Getting Back Out There

Regular involvement in social activities is essential for healthy aging. This can look different for everybody, but the importance of engagement cannot be understated. There are a number of opportunities to explore within senior living communities to help seniors be socially engaged while staying safe. Art classes are relatively easy to socially distance, as an artist will usually prefer to have plenty of elbow room anyway. Woodworking clubs are usually small groups and tool handles are easily cleaned. In the community I serve, a group of residents called the handcrafters get together weekly to knit. When I asked about the benefit of their group, one handcrafter said, “With nothing else going on, it is much easier to knit and be guilt-free about spending my time knitting. When I can’t go anywhere, I can sit down and enjoy my handcrafting.”   Small, safe groups of common creativity are powerful.

Whether you are taking up a new hobby or honing your skills on a lifelong pastime, consider the added benefits to your overall well-being to be socially engaged and creative.

What is your favorite creative outlet or favorite past-time activity?

Community wellness programming is one of the most important ways to keep your residents engaged. As wellness professionals, it’s our job to make sure that the programs being put into play are impactful and enjoyable, and continue to set precedents and work on the varying dimensions of wellness.

ZOOM: Get a New Perspective on Wellness

Have you heard of the book Zoom? It’s a children’s book by Istvan Banyai. Each page zooms out a little bit farther until you see the bigger picture. Sometimes, as wellness leaders, we tend to forget to “zoom out” and look at what’s working and what isn’t.

When looking at the bigger picture, try to take in all of the offerings at the community. What is working? What isn’t working? What programs need to be revamped or even tossed out? How is your community keeping up with fitness and wellness trends in order to stand out among the rest?

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Most communities have a way of collecting attendance data and feedback from residents. If this isn't happening at your community, consider it to be of utmost importance in order to provide quality programming and understand how residents react to evolving programming.

For communities that do not have data collection in place, consider looking at this blog post by Emily Davenport, NIFS Director of Fitness Management and Active Aging Services, to help you understand how to get started. Once you have a clean, simple way of collecting resident data, it will eliminate a lot of stress.

For communities that do have this in place, look through the data to see what is trending at the community and what isn’t. What trends are you seeing? Are you noticing an influx of residents committing to a program for a couple of months and then falling off the wagon? Are you seeing numbers holding steady and noticing a positive benefit from certain programs that are worth keeping the same? Being able to tap into this data collection is key when deciding what works for the community and what needs to be improved upon.

To Keep or Not to Keep?

Taking an in-depth look into offerings is also a great way to understand whether something needs to be let go. A great way to do this is to look at comparative data over the months/years and start asking questions. If you notice that a program or offering fluctuates in attendance, you may want to consider revamping the offering in a new and exciting way. Maybe the program went from being well-attended to never attended. If that’s the case, you probably would be better off taking away that program and adding something else, or recreating a different offering to increase attendance.

Always Leave Them Wanting MORE

When resident attendance starts to increase, keep in mind that your programs need to evolve. This doesn’t mean that you need to constantly reinvent the wheel, but it does mean that you should continually add different aspects to your programs. If we lack evolution of our offerings, our communities start to get stagnant and too comfortable. Including new and innovative ways to get our community members involved is a key piece when standing out as wellness professionals.

The reason most of us have become wellness professionals is to impact the well-being and improve the quality of life for our residents, patients, or team members. It’s our duty to continually provide engaging, fun, and interactive ways for our community members to learn, grow, and live out their lives in a positive way.

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